The Easiest Way in Housekeeping and Cooking eBook

Remove all fat, and put on the fire next day, half
an hour before dinner, seasoning it with a saltspoonful
each of mace, powdered thyme, or sweet marjoram and
clove. Melt a piece of butter the size of a walnut
in a small saucepan; add a heaping tablespoonful of
flour, and stir both till a bright brown. Add
soup till a smooth thickening is made, and pour it
into the soup-kettle. Cut about half a pound
of the cold meat into small square pieces,—­dice
they are called,—­and put into the tureen.
Make forcemeat balls by chopping a large cup of meat
very fine; season with a saltspoonful each of pepper
and thyme; mix in the yolk of a raw egg; make into
little balls the size of a hickory-nut, and fry brown
in a little butter. Squeeze the juice of half
a lemon into the tureen with (or without) a wine-glass
of sherry. Pour in the soup, and serve. If
egg-balls are desired, make them of the yolks of two
hard-boiled eggs rubbed fine. Add the yolk of
a raw egg, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a saltspoon
of salt and half a one of pepper, and flour enough
to make a dough which can be easily handled.
Roll out; cut into little dice, and make each into
a ball by rolling between the palms of the hands.
Boil five minutes in the soup.

MUTTON BROTH.

Prepare and boil as directed for stock. The broth
from a boiled leg of mutton can be used, or any cheap
pieces and trimmings from chops. One small turnip
and an onion will give flavoring enough. On the
day it is to be used, add to two quarts of broth half
a cup of rice, and boil for half an hour.

CHICKEN BROTH.

Even an old fowl which is unusable in any other way
makes excellent broth. Prepare as in any stock,
and, when used, add a tablespoonful of rice to each
quart of broth, boiling till tender. A white soup
will be found the most savory mode of preparation,
the plain broth with rice being best for children
and invalids.

TOMATO SOUP WITHOUT MEAT.

Materials for this soup are: one large can, or
twelve fresh tomatoes; one quart of boiling water;
two onions; a small carrot; half a small turnip; two
or three sprigs of parsley, or a stalk of celery,—­all
cut fine, and boiled one hour. As the water boils
away, add more to it, so that the quantity may remain
the same. Season with one even tablespoonful each
of salt and sugar, and half a teaspoonful of pepper.
Cream a tablespoonful of butter with two heaping ones
of flour, and add hot soup till it will pour easily.
Pour into the soup; boil all together for five minutes;
then strain through a sieve, and serve with toasted
crackers or bread.